Category Archives: Battle

Soldiers and civilians in Israel are for the most part extremely disappointed with the decision of the government to implement cease fire before time.

PM Netanyahu declared that the established goals of diminishing the Hamas power has been achieved however both the public and the military were ready for a much more thorough operation to defeat and uproot the Hamas altogether. Most government buildings were indeed destroyed, 180 dead in Gaza, 900 wounded, and out of 10000 Hamas has “only” 5000 rockets left.

However, Palestinian Prime Minister Haniyeh declared victory and that Hamas won public recognition. On top of it he stated that Pillar of Cloud operation is a wonderful bridge for the real purpose which is the conquest of Jerusalem and all “their” land. It looks that in spite of all their hits (1500 air force hits over Gaza) they are actually very encouraged by the outcome while most of the Israeli citizens are discouraged, very unhappy about this.

PM Netanyahu states that if the cease fire will be broken by Hamas, Israel will be ready for a more radical operation including the takeover of Gaza (implied by the PM but mentioned by the media)

Israel lost 6 people (2 soldiers and 4 civilians) and 450 wounded. Iron Dome managed to pre- explode 450 rockets preventing much damage and loss of life.

We shall continue praying until all of Israel is saved and established in its Land. For sure His promises will be kept!

Until January 22 Israel is in a race for new elections! Let us pray for a leader after YHVH’s (Gods) own heart!

Thank you and bless you for keeping your prayers flowing for Israel as requested in Isaiah 62:1,6,7

As we enter into the sixth day of the war we can clearly see that a cease fire should not happen yet! Hamas is still too self assured even though they have suffered the loss of 48 of their terrorists and many of their buildings, even government buildings have been destroyed. Unfortunately we see that Mr. Ban Ki Moon from the UN (who is coming to Israel and Gaza today) and President Obama are trying to organize a cease fire much too soon. This morning we received information that President Obama is giving Israel 48 more hours.

Please pray that Israel will not bend to public opinion. USA has been supporting the operation thus far and we pray that they will not intervene before time. Even Turkey that is in total enmity with Israel is trying to negotiate a “cease fire” prematurely! The Moslem term for such a cease fire is HUDNA which means: “When your enemy is strong, make peace with him and when he is weak then attack and conquer”. A cease fire right now will be a HUDNA in order to allow the Hamas to rearm and to get strengthened again in order to attack when stronger. We must not allow a HUDNA! It is like a snake hiding in the darkness, ready to bite in a later stage!

Yesterday Hamas shot 140 rockets towards the Neguev, one towards Herzlya (North of Tel Aviv) and one rocket also to Eilat.

This is clearly not a behavior of a vanquished enemy that is ready for a cease fire! Pray Psalm 35 and Obadiah 15-21

Pray for one Israeli that is severely wounded and for the many that are lightly wounded and suffer from trauma, especially for the little children in the bomb shelters that they will be fearless!

The IDF is about to enter Gaza with tanks and heavy artillery however President Obama has been against it. Pray again that YHVH will stop anyone that tries to stop Israel against His will! We must remember that if we stop before time, it can cost us dearly and another war will be necessary in a few months from now. Israel has already drafted about 75000 reserve soldiers!

Last night 7 terrorists were killed and 40 were wounded. The Hamas is trying to use it in order to manipulate the United Nations to call it a “slaughter”.

The decision today is between a ground operation into Gaza and between a cease fire. A ground operation would lengthen the time of the war but to go deeper into destroying the terror infrastructures and a cease fire would cause them to recover and strike again. All the voices from the Neguev residents and leaders are crying out to the Israeli government not to stop before time! They have suffered for years of constant tension and fire from Hamas and they are begging for this operation to be THOROUGH! And we say AMEN!

We believe that better than a ground operation is to actually cut off their electricity and water that Israel has been supplying to Gaza even through the war and put the ball in the courts of Egypt Gaza’s ally to supply them with electric and water.

Miracles And Praise Reports

only 3.5% of all the rockets launched have fallen in populated places, all others have fallen in open fields! This is an outcome of all our prayers! Praise YHVH! Keep praying for more missed fire and for the Air Force to keep on hitting the terror infrastructure with no respite!

The Iron Dome has manage to intercept and prevent 300 rockets from exploding on the ground! As we pray we are forming a Spiritual Iron Dome over Israel and a Talit (Mantle) of Mercy. Please continually declare Psalm 91 over Israel

Thank you for your faithfulness to pray and let us believe for the God of Israel to show His Power and Covenant!

He will remember His covenant forever. He has made known to His people the power of His works. Psalm 111:5,6

What should Israel expect in this constantly changing environment? Here opinions differ.

“Up until now many in the Israeli establishment believed Assad was a guarantee of stability, as he was the person who kept our northern border quiet for the past forty years,” said Paz. “Now the situation is changing with many officials preferring to see him toppled. In any case, chaos is not good for Israel because it’s not manageable, you can never know what the outcome will be,” he continued.

Talking about the possible repercussions for the entire area, Paz also stressed that the fall of Assad could lead to further destabilization, prompting revolts in Jordan and Palestine, two areas that have thus far remained relatively stable. “The Jewish state might be drawn into a conflict if the regime [in Jordan] is threatened,” he said. The expert referred to the events of 1970 when Israel was prepared to send troops to Jordan in a bid to oust Palestinian Liberation Organization, a terrorist movement that aimed to depose the late King Hussein.

Perlov voiced a different view. “No matter what happens, we shouldn’t panic. The division of Syria is not fatal for Israel. I am sure we will be able to come to terms with Kurdistan and any other new state that might emerge. Any scenario is better than Assad,” she reasoned, while acknowledging that the ouster of the current regime might create power vacuums, easily filled by hostile elements that could promote violent cross-border tensions and crime. “There are dangers but with the right management of the crisis, Israel can only benefit from a new regime in Syria,” she concluded.

There are historical precedents for bloody conflicts that were resolved by partition. The dissolution of Yugoslavia in 1990’s — a region with a history of ethnic conflicts — brought the creation of several independent countries that mostly live in peace with each other. Will Syria share the same fate? Experts agree that it is too early to tell.

Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi on Sunday stunned the region and caused grave concern in Israel when he dismissed all of Egypt’s top generals and installed commanders loyal and subservient to his Muslim Brotherhood.

Following the ouster of former dictator Hosni Mubarak, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces headed by former Defense Minister Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi had held de facto power, and had placed certain limitations on the presidency when it became clear the Muslim Brotherhood would the election.

For instance, the Tantawi-led council had introduced a constitutional amendment that forbade the president from declaring war without the council’s approval.

In addition to firing Tantawi, the Egyptian chief-of-staff, and the heads of the navy and air force, Morsi also rescinded all of the council’s constitutional amendments, effectively granting his office outright control of military matters.

So long as Tantawi and the other older generals were largely in control of military matters, Israeli leaders were more or less certain that Egypt’s revolution would not lead to armed conflict with the Jewish state. But with the Muslim Brotherhood seizing control of the armed forces, previous assessments are now void.

Israeli commentators said they do not expect a sudden “call to arms” in Egypt, but are concerned that the Muslim Brotherhood-appointed generals will not cooperate with Israel like the old generals did. That will ultimately result in a situation similar to Lebanon, where Israel is forced to act on its own in foreign territory to stop terrorist threats.

And the Egyptian Sinai is fast becoming a regional hotspot of terrorist activity, making it all but inevitable that Israel would have to launch military incursions should Morsi’s forces stop preventing attacks on the Jewish state.

On the other hand, only last week, Israel approved a temporary amendment to the Camp David Accords to allow Egypt to deploy more forces to Sinai to root out local terrorist gangs. There is now concern that Morsi will not pull those forces back once their mission is complete.

As a demonstration of why Israel is so concerned by the Muslim Brotherhood’s power-hungry moves, last week Arab television stations around the region broadcast a recent interview with Egyptian-born cleric Salah Sultan, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. In the interview, Sultan stated that people he has met all over Egypt and the Middle East “thirst for the blood of the Jews.”

Sultan operates an Islamic teaching center in the American state of Ohio.

Speaking of America, the Washington Post reported that the Obama Administration is not at all concerned by Morsi seizing control of the military, and that it has “confidence” in the newly installed generals.

Suspected members of the global jihad movement, in which Al Qaeda plays a leading role, attempted a bold infiltration of southern Israel Sunday night that left 16 Egyptian soldiers dead.

The terrorist cell started by attacking an Egyptian army post at the point where the Egyptian, Israeli and Gaza borders meet. Not far from that point is the Israeli kibbutz of Kerem Shalom, which is believed to have been the intended final target of the assault.

As the terrorists entered the Egyptian post, they detonated suicide bombs and opened fire on Egyptian troops before taking control of two armored personnel carriers and making a run for the Israeli border.

The Israeli Air Force destroyed one of the vehicles as it crossed the border into southern Israel. The second vehicle never made it that far, after presumably being disabled by Egyptian forces.

Israeli officials said they had intelligence on a possible cross-border attack and had already put their forces on alert.

The attack came just days after Jerusalem warned all Israeli travelers to immediately leave the Egyptian Sinai, which has become a hotbed of jihadist activity in recent years. Apparently acting on the Israeli intelligence, the US issued a similar warning to American tourists in Sinai.

The events in Sinai prompted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi to publicly vow to reestablish firm Egyptian authority over the territory. On Monday morning Egyptian media reported that government forces had “laid siege” to the Sinai-Gaza border town of Rafah, where the perpetrators of the attack were believed to be hiding.

Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Oren linked the attack to Iran, stating in a Twitter post that “the thwarted attack underscores the lengths to which the extremist regime in Iran will go to kill innocent Israelis.” Other Israeli officials said they expect more cross-border attacks of an even more ambitious nature.

“There’s no doubt that the terrorists took a huge risk in engaging Egyptian security forces,” former IDF anti-terror chief Nitzan Nuriel told Army Radio on Monday. “It seems that global jihadists are becoming a beacon for regional terror and that is very troubling.”

Meanwhile, Palestinian terrorists operating out of the Gaza Strip took advantage of the situation to launch their own assault on southern Israel by raining down dozens of mortar shells on local communities and opening fire on Israeli border patrols.

Israelis residents living in the area were instructed to spend the night in their bomb shelters as the IDF engaged in a lengthly exchange of fire with the terrorists. No injuries were reported.

The inauguration of Muhammad Morsi in Egypt prompted a quick Israeli response: The Prime Minister rushed to congratulate the newly elected president, expressing hope that the two countries will continue to cooperate on various levels; in Cairo, Israel’s ambassador to Egypt, Yaakov Amitai, met with several top-ranking members of the Muslim Brotherhood, stressing that Jerusalem had no intention to interfere with Egypt’s domestic affairs.

This, however, masked the deep anxieties of the country’s leaders. As the flames of revolution are still raging at Israel’s doorstep, many experts voice their concerns about the impact of those events on the Jewish state.

“Israel will be facing challenges in several spheres,” said Orit Perlov, a researcher who focuses on the Arab states at the Institute of National Security Studies (INSS). “Since the epicenter of the uprisings is usually the capital or the country’s major cities, the periphery is left neglected, creating a void that is easily filled by various terrorist cells,” she continued.

Indeed, after the eruption of the popular protests that toppled the regime of Hosni Mubarak, Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula turned into a haven for terrorist activity. In May, for example, Egyptian security forces intercepted three trucks carrying more than 40 surface-to-surface missiles, 17 rocket-propelled grenades, several mortar shell launchers, seven assault rifles with 10,000 rounds of ammunition, and surveillance equipment. Other reports indicated that Jihad Islami, a terrorist organization aimed at annihilating Israel, was establishing arms-making and logistical bases in the area, convinced that the long arm of Israel’s Defence Force (IDF) wouldn’t reach them there.

Some militants went as far as stationing long-range rockets in the region (some of which have already been fired into Israel), assuming that Jerusalem would be far less inclined to attack such sites out of concern for bilateral ties with Egypt. Others – reportedly linked to Al-Qaeda – made several attempts to infiltrate the country.

Sinai’s native population – the Bedouin tribes that comprise about 300,000 people out of the local population of 430,000 – add fuel to the fire by smuggling arms, drugs, prostitutes, and African migrants into Israel. They have also been accused of attacking Egypt’s gas pipelines pumping energy into the Jewish state (meeting some 40% of the country’s domestic demand).

All of these developments have been particularly frustrating, given the fact that in the past 30 years the 240km Israel-Sinai border remained mostly unprotected, saving both countries tens of billions of dollars in military expenditures. The situation wasn’t ideal under Mubarak though, but the strong fist of the security forces presented a deterrent to those, willing to undermine stability. Now with the regime gone, many terror groups feel free to dictate their own rules.

Addressing the issue — especially following last August’s terrorist attack that left eight Israelis dead and some 31 others wounded — Israel decided to construct a sophisticated fence (at a considerable cost) along the entire border. The move did decrease trafficking and illegal immigration but failed to solve the problem of militants shooting into Israel, leading the IDF to beef up its presence in the area.

But apart from the high level of violence that’s been plaguing the area, Perlov said Israel would face other challenges. “An excessive flow of unsupervised weapons is streaming from Iran via Sudan, Libya and the Gaza Strip, while the populist government in Cairo lacks any basic policy to tackle the problem,” she told Israel Today. “This kind of situation bogs down the country’s economic development, which needs stability,” she stressed.

However, some Israeli politicians remain optimistic about the future of Egypt. Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Egypt would probably move towards a Turkish version of Islamic democracy, meaning Cairo would maintain a ‘cold peace’ with Jerusalem. But as tensions escalate across the border, Israel might opt for retaliation, leading to a full-fledged war.

Nevertheless, Perlov said that such a development was highly unlikely. “Egypt cannot afford a military conflict with Israel,” she reasoned. “The country’s government recognizes our superiority in this respect. Besides, they have enough headaches to cope with, including high unemployment, the ailing economy, religious and sectarian strife – to name the major issues,” she concluded.

On eve of sixth anniversary of Second Lebanon War, Galilee Division commander Brig. Gen. Herzi Halevi says Israel is prepared for war with Hezbollah, and with the Lebanese army if necessary • Border clash narrowly avoided after Lebanese soldiers mark IDF soldiers as targets.

Lilach Shoval, Yori Yalon and Israel Hayom Staff

With Israel about to mark six years since the Second Lebanon War next week, senior military officials have warned that if Israel is provoked, the next round of fighting with Lebanon will more destructive than the last.

Brig. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the commander of the Israel Defense Forces’ Galilee Division, declared that if Israel felt that Hezbollah’s presence in the southern Lebanese villages warranted an attack, “the response would be very harsh, and very violent in some respects.”

“The IDF’s action would entail great destruction of Lebanese villages,” he said. “The IDF needs to strike where the enemy is situated, and [Hezbollah] chose to hide in the heart of the [civilian] population, so that this would not be punitive destruction. But it will cause enormous damage to Lebanon; far more than the Second Lebanon War.”

“The Goldstone report [which criticized Operation Cast Lead, the Israeli offensive in Gaza in 2008-9] made us second-guess ourselves and confused us into thinking that we could make the [fighting] prettier,” Halevi said. “It’s important to say: This cannot be a pretty situation. [Another] war with Lebanon, without the IDF exercising a great deal of force, would make it much harder for us to achieve our goals.”

“The challenges before us are many. We’ll need to see how to deal with the complex challenge of an enemy with many capabilities,” Halevi said. “However, if so required, we can operate on Lebanese soil and cause great damage to terrorist centers found there. Great destruction would be caused to Lebanese soil. The destruction would be greater in Lebanon than in Israel. The amount of explosives we would use against Lebanon would be far greater than the number they would use against us.”

The commander also said the IDF sees a link between events in Syria and terrorist activities on the northern border, and has been preparing accordingly. “The chances of hostile activities in the border region continue to increase so we must be ready and prepared,” he said. “There are several impetuses that could end the calm on the northern border but the IDF knows how to give a precise and clear response to every possible scenario.”

The commander said the IDF was prepared and ready for any scenario on the northern border, including a war against Hezbollah and, if necessary, the Lebanese army.

Other Israeli military officers have also expressed concern about an increase in tensions between Israel and Lebanon following an incident on the border last week when a full-blown confrontation with the Lebanese army was narrowly avoided.

Last week, Israeli soldiers patrolling the area noticed that Lebanese troops across the border were aiming their weapons at them. One of the soldiers overheard the Lebanese commander describing the Israelis as targets. The Israeli soldiers quickly summoned a backup force, and, with the arrival of tanks at the scene, the Lebanese forces withdrew.

Halevi also revealed that the IDF was aware of Hezbollah’s reconnaissance activities on the border. Hezbollah continues to collect information on Israel through observation stations located in residential buildings, patrol vehicles, and dozens of operatives on the field.

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit released a video documenting Hezbollah’s intelligence collection vehicles on the northern border.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, an official ceremony was held at Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem to commemorate soldiers who lost their lives in the Second Lebanon War. The ceremony was attended by IDF Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, former IDF head Lt. Gen. (res.) Dan Halutz and Minister Without Portfolio Yossi Peled.

“The Second Lebanon War was necessary for Israel to restore its deterrent capability,” Peled said at the ceremony.